Advisors Remarks
Future Ensured for Dairy Indusry
As I reflect on Dairy Club for 2010 to 2011, the themes were leadership, tradition, and new initiatives. As the
year started everyone learned about the importance of hierarchy, responsibility, delegation, and completion of
tasks. I believe that most members evolved as stronger leaders but most importantly everyone had better appreciation for altruism and cooperation.
Dairy Club did the traditional events of Cheese Sale, Calf Sale, Barbeque, Hay rides, and bowling. As activities to generate revenue, Cheese Sale, Calf Sale, and direct solicitation of donations went very well this year.
In addition to money, these events homogenized the club and motivated many members to get involved and to
contribute time, energy, and effort. In addition to constructive and altruistic events, I believe that Dairy Club
was enjoyable and that members had fun throughout the year.
This year, Dairy Club expanded activities for education, community service, and joint activities with Block
and Bridle Club. The goal for education of members and the public is to increase awareness about the dairy
industry and agriculture in general. Community service activities included memorial trees for deceased students, Giving Tree at Christmas for impoverished families, and Relay for Life. Block and Bridle hosted the
national convention in fall. Dairy Club provided bags and souvenirs for attendees. In spring Dairy Club and
Block and Bridle Club co-sponsored a tour of farms for agricultural neophytes.
General reflections on Dairy Club are that this is a very positive and energetic group of people. All are students and have the responsibility for academic survival. As a group members of Dairy Club are engaged in a
constant juggling act between school and activities for Dairy Club. The number of concurrent responsibilities
for many of these people is truly amazing. All members of Dairy Club are solid citizens and will evolve into
leaders in some aspect of the dairy industry. Consequently, the MSU Dairy Club and the dairy industry will
continue to thrive!
Thanks for allowing me to work with you and for demonstrating that the next generation is in good hands.

Roy Fogwell
Roy Fogwell
Animal Science

Michigan State University Dairy Club

Presidents Remarks
Dairy Club Has Another Successful Year
What a year it has been. In the past year, the MSU Dairy Club has grown in a positive direction to continue
promoting the dairy industry and educating the public, support educational opportunities for members and offer a network between members and industry representatives. Some of the traditional events put on by the
Dairy Club saw positive changes this year with hopes of seeing them continue on in coming years. The most
innovative change seen this year was the introduction of a website for cheese sale which allowed for online
ordering. Online ordering made it simpler for customers to purchase their cheese as well as finally making it
possible for them to use credit cards. Advertising was also done differently which included doing press releases through the CANR Communications team. With the combination of online ordering and greater advertising, the amount of cheese sold increased by almost 25%.
The annual Spartan Spectacular calf sale was once again a success, raising money for Dairy Club and the Dairy
Judging teams. The sale returned to returned to how it was traditionally done in the past and looked better than
ever. The club also continued their participation in community service, including the euchre tournament to support FFA, a giving tree to support needy families at Christmas, and participating in Relay for Life.
Educational trips for club members were a big theme this year, and many members got to experience things
they normally would not have had the chance to. Once again, a group of members went to the annual ADSA
meetings, competing in quiz bowl and other events for students. Educational trips didn't end there either for
club members. For the first time, a trip was organized for club members to travel to the Royal Winter Fair in
Toronto, Ontario. Students also organized a spring break trip to Reno, Nevada for the Western Dairy Management conference. Finally, a social was organized with the Purdue Dairy Club as well as a tour of the Fair Oaks
Farms in Indiana.
I would like to close with a farewell and congratulations to all graduating club members. I hope you found
your involvement worthwhile and the friendships and connections you made during your years stay with you
for years to come. Furthermore, a president is nothing without a supporting cast, and mine was exceptional. All
the events and trips the club supported would not have been possible if it weren't for the Executive Board and
advisors. Those are the ones that made everything happen. Finally, I would like to thank all of the sponsors,
supporters, alumni and friends of the club for a great year. You are the ones that make everything the club does
possible.

Kevin Messing
Kevin Messing
Dairy Club President

The Udder Truth

The Summer of 2010
2010 MSU Dairy Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ADSA Adventure
Written by Hannah Tucker
ADSA for 2010 was held in Denver Colorado. Students that attended were Ben Wenner, Gail Carpenter,
Karmen Jackson, and Hannah Tucker. For the student
trip we went white water rafting through the mountains. Ben, Karmen, and Hannah presented during the
conference. Ben won his division in dairy production
with his
discussion on
tail docking. The
t e a m
t h e n
c o m peted in
Dairy
Q u i z
Bowl.
They received a bye in the first round; however, were unable
to utilize this edge in the competition. The students
mingled with faculty and other students and were able
network. Also, there were many talks going on that
they were able to attend, including talks made by
MSU faculty. The whirlwind trip was jam packed with
networking, competition, and fun.

The Great Dairy Adventure
Written by Kevin Messing
Last summer members of the MSU Dairy Club volunteered to help at the Great Dairy Adventure which was
run in conjunction with Michigan Dairy Expo on July
21. Students ran an "I Milked a Cow" station where
six cows were in attendance for people could get firsthand experience milking a cow. The Great Dairy Adventure draws close to 2,000 people every year and
allows for the public to see where dairy products come
from and the path in which products travel to get from
the farm to the table. Many families, day cares and
summer camps make stops at the event. Dairy Club
members helped young children as well as adults milk
the cows, and for many of them, it was their first time.
Club members are also able to serve as agricultural
ambassadors - answering any questions the public may
have about cows or the dairy industry as a whole. The
Great Dairy Adventure is a very important event for
the club as it allows us to interact with consumers and
represent the industry in a positive manner. It also
gives the Dairy Club an opportunity to address any
questions or misconceptions the public may have
about the dairy industry or products.

Pictured right:
Kevin Messing
helps a child
milk a cow for
the first time.

Michigan State University Dairy Club

Fall Semester 2010
Club Room Renovation
Written by Olivia DeVooght
To start the new school year off right we wanted the
club room to be fresh and clean. Six members got together on Labor Day to give the club room a whole
new ambiance to welcome new and old members.
First we gutted the entire room, scrubbed it down, and
went through all of our supplies, boxes, and every last
picture. Next put together new shelves to hold all of
our frames, magazines, and other mementos. We even
got a new filing cabinet, desk and computer to complete our new look. The new and improved club room
is a lot more spacious and hopefully is a more inviting,
comfortable atmosphere.

the more important to educate the public about the agricultural realm, giving them all of the facts and information that they need in order to form opinions. We
tend to forget that not everyone has had the same opportunities that we’ve had-like petting a calf. Do you
remember the first time you approached a Holstein
calf and ran your fingers through its hair, feeling the
rise and fall of its body, that breath of new life? Do
you remember when you reached your fingers toward
its muzzle and it proceeded to lick and suck on your
hand? It’s moments like this that we take for granted,
forgetting the fact that a majority of the students here
on campus have never been to a farm, let alone had
the opportunity to pet a calf. So what do we do as ambassadors to the dairy industry? We give our fellow
students the chance to glimpse into the vast world of
dairy, beginning with that same moment that we were
first introduced to the industry. During our annual
Dairy Awareness Day, Dairy Club members sit out by
the cow-painted rock at the center of campus along
with a pen of two Holstein calves, which were recently born out at the MSU Dairy Teaching and Research Farm. Clubbers, armed with bottles of germex, are prepared to answer questions about dairy while
encouraging walkers-by to come and pet the calves.
For many, it’s their first time putting a face to a common commodity, for others, it’s just another reminder
of home or their future. Nonetheless, those that take
the initiative to divert from their original path to class
to pet a calf are enthralled by the experience, just as
we as dairy enthusiasts are every time we set eyes on a
cow.
Pictured below: Sarah Fraley educates the
public during dairy awareness day.

Dairy Awareness Day
Written by Sarah Michalek
Coming from an agricultural background, it is sometimes unnerving to realize just how little the consuming public knows and understands about this world
that we as agriculturalists grew up in. And so it is all

The Udder Truth
Welcome Back BBQ
Written by Eric Sneller
In early fall at the MSU Dairy Clubs first meeting, we
held our annual Welcome Back BBQ. The Welcome
Back BBQ is a great way of reuniting with your
friends you haven’t seen all summer and to welcome
those who are interested in joining the club. This year
Eric Cole was generous to lend us a few grills and his
grilling expertise, as he and Eric Sneller manned the
grills outside as the meeting was proceeding. After a
majority of members finished eating we played some
tailgating games such as bean bag toss. To top off the
evening, we satisfied our taste buds with some delicious desserts and MSU Dairy Store ice cream!

Stuffing isn’t just at Thanksgiving
Written by Krista Beeker
Michigan State University had the honor of hosting
the Block and Bridle National Convention October 1416, 2010. Attendees traveled all over Michigan on
tours and farm visits and were able to listen to a great
line-up of speakers from all over the United States.
To help out our fellow College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources club, Dairy
Club donated the bags to hand
out to all participants. To go
along with the donated bags,
members spent a few hours helping the convention board members stuff the bags with flyers,
brochures, and promotional
items that we also donated by
various businesses and organizations. Dairy Club members also assisted in packing the
breakfast bags and lunch sacks for the following days.

“It’s great to be able to work with fellow animal science students to accomplish something great like the
B & B Convention. I’m glad we were able to contribute towards their event and get our club name out as
supporters in animal agriculture,” said junior Kelsey
Byars.
During the event, there was nothing but compliments
about how well Michigan State did in hosting the
Pictured above: First year dairy management students enjoy
MSU Dairy Store ice cream. Below: Hannah Tucker and event and how great the tote bags had turned out. Way
Lynnae Slavik enjoy a game of bean bag toss.
to represent MSU. Go Green!

Michigan State University Dairy Club
Dairy Club Haunted Corn Maze
Written by Carrie Szybisty
On October 28, between 15 and 20 members of the
Dairy Club departed from Anthony Hall for a night of
fun at a haunted corn maze. Expecting to be entertained, these members found much, much more. After
enjoying a long ride to the maze, the cars unloaded,
and the smell of freshly warmed cider filled the barn
where they gathered. The whole group started the
corn maze together, but quickly split up into smaller
groups to find their way through the dark maze. As
the search for the exit continued, screams could be
heard through the trees. Before they knew it, the
members were headed towards the haunted section of
the trail. Elements of surprise included a dark shelter
to pass through, a section of the path that felt like one
was sinking, masked Halloween characters with chainsaws, and monsters popping out unexpectedly. Everyone made it out of the haunted section alive…we
think. Members who made it out early enjoyed the
warm cider in the barn while waiting for the other
groups to finish. After sharing stories of the maze and
those who were scared, everyone loaded back into
their cars to drive back to East Lansing. The memories and the scares that took place will not soon be forgotten
by
all
those
who attended.

Pictured above: Club members in attendance gathered for a
group picture after going through the maze. Below: Sarah
Fraley, Lynnae Slavik and Carrie Szybisty get really excited
for the corn maze.

IM Volley Ball
Written by Ross Williams
The MSU Dairy Club put together an IM Volleyball
team once again this year which took place every
Tuesday in October and November at IM East. Anybody and everybody is allowed and encouraged to
play. Win or lose, this event is a lot of fun and guaranteed some laughs for the members who participated
over the semester. The club had numerous participants this year, as a team must have three boys and
three girls on the floor to compete. The team improved upon its winning percentage this year as we
ended with a season record of 3 wins and 3 losses.
Way to represent MSU Dairy Club!

Euchre Tournament
Written by Lynnae Slavik
The MSU Dairy Club held its second annual Euchre
Tournament this year, again where all of the proceeds
went to supporting Michigan FFA. Once again, prizes
were awarded for the highest scoring player as well as
for the best costume. Everybody in attendance enjoyed euchre, Halloween music and tasty treats!

The Udder Truth
Best Year in Cheese Sales Yet!
By Jessica Makowski
This year was revolutionary! The Dairy Club implemented tons of changes! Some of the changes include
Ritz crackers instead of water crackers, green and
white shredded paper instead of straw, a postcard instead of a brochure and utilized the Agriculture and
Natural Resources Communications Department for
designing material as well as setting up interviews and
articles! We also advertised way more in the State
News, Progressive Dairyman, Farmers Advance, Chicago Tribune, Michigan Farm radio and more. Our
biggest change was
allowing customers to
buy boxes online
through PayPal. We
were not sure how it
would go but it was a
huge success! We
definitely have some
quirks we have to
straighten out for
next year but we had over 100 orders from online
sales!
Once again, our Milk Messenger Ad was generously
donated! We sent out postcards telling our mailing list
where they could go to look up the different boxes and
to promote the new online ordering. We also posted
posters around campus so the public as well as faculty
could see our fundraiser. We also sold boxes of cheese
at Autumn Fest, which had a huge turnout! We continued with the incentive system but we changed it up
a bit. Instead of the member picking a free box of
cheese, we changed it so the person who sold the most
boxes would get a check amount of how many boxes
they sold. So, in Beth Motzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case, she
sold 108 boxes of cheese so she received a
$108 check! Congratulations Beth!
This year we sold almost 1,000 boxes of
cheese which was a 26% increase from
last year! The biggest mode of ordering
was almost a tie with over-the-counters at
36% and online ordering at 37%. Pick-up
was also the highest way people received
their cheese being at 44%. Shipping was a
close second at 39% of all of our orders.
Surprisingly the Classic was not our top

seller, the Cheddar won this year with 26% of sales.
This year, we raised approximately $5,000! The best
thing about the sale was the member and advisor involvement! There was a 64% member involvement
which is huge for a club our size! Good Job to all
members!
This year, we have many things to consider and decide
on because of all the changes. It was definitely a stepping stone year and I know next year will be even better! Good Luck to Kelsey Byars on the 2011 Cheese
Sale!

Michigan State University Dairy Club
CANR Ag Olympics
Written by Lauren Bush
The Dairy Club entered two teams in the 2010 CANR
Ag Olympics. The first team was made up of Katie
McCormack, Sarah Michalek, Matt Alt, Ryan Silvernail, Alan Mergener, and Chelsea Niewiadomski. The
second team (aka Team Intimidation) consisted of
Lynnae Slavik, Krista Beeker, Lauren Bush, Ross
Williams, John Anibal, and Dale Dick. Team 2
showed spirit with team shirts, although the writing
ended up backwards!

Both teams did well in all the events, such as the egg
toss, frozen t-shirt, and tug-o-war. The most interesting and challenging event was creating a tower of cups

using only strings, which everyone held in their
mouths, tied to a central rubber band. No hands allowed! Team 2 set the bar high in the first heat finishing minutes before their competitors. Probably the
least enjoyable event for some of the team members
was the relay. One person had to transfer a mixture of
garlic salt and milk by mouth from cup to cup, another
pair made a human wheelbarrow and weaved around
cones, then the fourth had to find gum in a cream pie
and blow a bubble. Ross and Sarah were breathing
garlic for days! Overall though, the Dairy Club made
a good showing, with team 1 coming in 7th and Team
2 taking first place. The victory earned a pizza celebration for the entire club.
A Very Dairy Trip to Canada
Written by Tera Koebel
Traveling through the countryside with friends new
and old proved a fun time when Dairy Club members
loaded a bus bound for the Royal Agricultural Winter
Fair in November. About 50 people embarked on the
exciting journey that included a lot of social time and
networking opportunities in Toronto, Ontario. The
group consisted of Dairy Club members, Michigan
Junior Holstein Association members and people from
the Michigan dairy industry.
This fun and educational journey included tours of
four different farms ranging from breeding stock in a
tie
stall
barn
to
robotic
milking
systems to
state of the
art commercial
facilities to
management winning herds
in Ontario. There was also an evening spent watching
the “Sale of Stars” at the fairgrounds, and an entire
day of watching the International Holstein Show. After the show everyone enjoyed a festive meal at the
Hard Rock Café: Toronto before heading out for the
evening to explore with friends. After arriving back in
East Lansing, everyone was tired but thrilled to say
they watched one of the best dairy shows in the world,
saw cattle sell for over $100,000 a piece, and made
many memories to never be forgotten.

The Udder Truth
Autumn-fest
Written by Olivia DeVooght
To promote the Dairy Club and our annual cheese sale
five DC members attended Autumn-fest and put up a
display. Autumn-fest is the largest indoor tailgate at
MSU and his held before one of the home football
games. Club, organizations, alumni, businesses and
Sparty gather together for a big dinner, auction and
other events to raise money for the CANR. We set up
a booth to sell cheese, talk to visitors, give away samples, promote our club, and the dairy industry. This
year for the first time we won 3rd place for our display. Congratulations Dairy Club!

Stop Light Christmas Party
Written by Lynnae Slavik
In past years the Dairy Club has had a Christmas party
to end the semester; however this year we decided to
have a ball – bowling style! The theme of the evening
was Stoplight Party: red if you’re taken, yellow if
you’re somewhere in the middle and green if you’re
single and ready to mingle! The event took place immediately following the MSU Dairy Challenge competition’s banquet, and consequently we had a great
turnout! The five lanes that we filled at Marvel Lanes
were buzzing with social chatter! The event was a
huge success, setting a tone for the spring semester!

Pictured Above: Courtney Larson, Jessica Makowski, Chelsea Niewiadomski, Olivia DeVooght poses at the Dairy Club’s
booth at Autumn-fest.
Pictured Above: Casey Klein throws the ball down the land
The Christmas Giving Tree
for a strike. Below: Club members take a moment for a
Written by Lauren Bush
As a community service project, the club decided to group picture at Marvel Lanes.
sponsor children for Christmas through the Salvation
Army. Each child was represented by an angel card
with a Christmas list on it. We set up a tree in the
mailroom of Anthony Hall and put ten angels on the
tree. Seven of the children were sponsored by Animal
Science faculty, students, or individual Dairy Club
members. The other three children were sponsored by
the club. Sarah Fraley, Tera Koebel, and Lauren Bush
went shopping for gifts for the Dairy Club’s angels.
All three children were boys between eleven and
twelve and they received board games, toys, hats, and
sweatshirts. Each of the seven other children also received four gifts ranging from CD players to board
games and clothes.

Michigan State University Dairy Club

The Udder Truth

Spring Semester 2011
UDIM Media Training
Written By Megan Sprague
UDIM media training's purpose is to help those in the
Dairy Industry converse with reporters and the public.
Whether in print or on a video camera, speaking in a
way that is educational, caring, and concise. I was initially very nervous because I am terrified of video
cameras, but the teachers were very understanding
while still being challenging. I enjoyed not only familiarizing myself with ways to translate agricultural jargon to the public, but also to grow my own speaking
skills. Ultimately I feel more prepared for any type of
interview and more comfortable with camera interviews, and I have those at UDIM to thank for it.

on the farm, its cattle, the housing, feeding, milking,
cattle handling, dairy products, and of course ICE
CREAM! For many children, this was their first time
on a farm and being up close and personal with a cow;
therefore, it was important to follow the product from
cow to carton so they know exactly where their dairy
products are coming from. It was a very successful
afternoon, and it was a learning experience for both
the students and the Dairy Club members putting it on.
You can expect to see the MSU Dairy Club get more
involved
in
more
public
education in
the
next
years
to
come.

Pictured
Right:
UDIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; s
M itch
Smith came to a
Dairy Club meeting
in January to discuss the importance
of communication
training.

MSU Dairy Field Trip
Written by Lynnae Slavik
Pictured above:
Kelsey
Byars educates children from
This spring, local elementary schools came out to the
Lakewood elementary school
MSU Dairy farm to explore the dairy industry that we about calves at the MSU
all know and love. The children as well as the chaper- Dairy.

ones were taken on an energetic and lively tour by
Michigan State Dairy Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest: Kelsey Byars,
Courtney Larson, Jessica Makowski, and Todd
Worden. The tour included informative explanations

Michigan State University Dairy Club
the milk that was sold for the week. The sale week
2011 Spartan Spectacular Sale
gives members of the dairy club and judging teams the
Written by Lynnae Slavik
Once again, the MSU dairy club had another spectacu- opportunity to get hands-on experience at preparing
lar week out at the MSU Pavilion during the week of for a sale; thereby, making it possible for them to
March 21st as they prepared for their annual sale. work with professionals within the industry and imThere were multiple opportunities for hands-on live- prove possible networking opportunities with potential
stock education as the animals began arriving on future employers.
Tuesday, March 22nd for the 2011 Spartan Spectacular The Spartan Spectacular Sale averaged $1,408 over 26
Sale, which is ran and organized by the students of the consigned lots. Proceeds from the sale are used to
fund MSU Dairy
MSU Dairy Club
Club and Dairy
and MSU dairy
Judging activijudging teams.
ties. This year’s
The sale took
top selling feplace on Friday,
th
male was TriMarch 25 and is
Koebel
Counone of the largest
ciller Maybellefundraiser’s
for
ET consigned by
the Dairy Club.
Tri-Koebel
Members from the
Farms of Three
club were heavily
involved from be- This year’s top-seller, Tri-Koebel Counciller Maybelle-ET, was consigned by Tri- Oaks, Michigan.
She was purginning to start by Koebel Farms of Three Oaks, and purchased by Kate Deters of Fremont.
organizing consignments, asking for donations, getting chased by Kate Deters of Fremont, Michigan for
student volunteers, and creating the sale catalog. Ad- $3,300. The second highest selling female was MS S
ditionally, members logged many hours out at the Pa- Lisa Rae-Red consigned by Carlyle Westendorp of
vilion over the course of sale week to lend a helping Nashville, Michigan. She was purchased by John
hand and make sure everything ran smoothly. A total Weller (Double Eagle Dairy) of Middleton, Michigan
of 26 females were sold. This year’s sale had a wide for $2,900.
variety of breeds represented which included: Brown This year’s sponsors and supporters included: ABS
Swiss, Holstein, Jersey and Red & White Holstein. Global, Cole Farms, Gingell Feed Consultants Inc.,
During the week, club members were responsible to Kevin Klahn, Michigan Jersey Cattle Club, MI/IN
perform the daily chores of feeding, watering and
Holstein Association, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michicleaning up after the cattle. In addition to the daily
chores, club members washed, clipped and prepared gan Sugar Company, MSU Purebred Beef Farm, Paul
the heifers for the sale to get them in top-notch condi- Dost Farms LLC, Scheurer Farms, Williams Dairy
tion for the sale. There were many dedicated club Farm, and Williams Farm Machinery. Donors helped
members that were at the Pavilion around the clock, to supply us with feed, equipment, and bedding in adand stuck around for the night hour shifts to help make dition to other supplies which help our sale to be more
sure everything got ready for sale day.
profitable in the end. Thank you to our sponsors, hard
The Michigan Holstein Association also had their an-working Dairy Club and Dairy Judging Team memnual Foundation Female Sale which also took place on
th
bers. Your time and
Friday, March 25 . The
support are greatly
Dairy Club members
appreciated.
This
and Dairy Judging Team
members helped milk,
year’s sale was a sucfeed, water, and clean up
cess because of you,
after the MHA consignand could not have
ments in return for rebeen done without
ceiving the money from
you!

The Udder Truth

2011 Spartan Spring Break
MSU Dairy Club Goes West
Written by Lynnae Slavik
This year a group of seven MSU Dairy Club members
packed their bags and headed out west for a spring
break adventure. These students included: Olivia DeVooght, Sara Mowry, Sarah Fraley, Jessica Makowski, Kelsey Byars, Matt Alt, and Lynnae Slavik.
They flew into Reno, Nevada on Sunday, March 6 and
traveled south through the valley and Lake Tahoe en
route to Sacramento, California. On Monday, the students drove from Sacramento where they checked out
the sites and scenery and finished the day with a trip
up to San Francisco where they visited a winery.
Tuesday was a jam-packed day in San Francisco including a tour of Alcatraz and exploring the city. Finally, the group stopped at Tollcrest Holsteins in
Wheatland, California on their way back to Reno. At
this Californian dairy, the students were given a detailed tour by the owner, Seann Tollenaar. He discussed some of the major differences that are on
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Westernâ&#x20AC;? dairy farms; the major difference being
their goals of production. In the Mid-West, our major
goal is to maximize milk production. However, in the
west input prices, heat stress and milk surplus makes
production goals difficult and expensive to accomplish; therefore, most all producers will aim to minimize costs and maximize profits. Wednesday through
Friday, was spent in Reno, Nevada at the Western
Dairy Management Conference where club members
were entertained by industry panels, research presentations, and networking with industry professionals.

Thank You Spring Break Sponsors!

Michigan State University Dairy Club
Sunday

Tuesday

Driving through the Valley and Lake Tahoe

San Francisco, Alcatraz & Tollcrest Holsteins

Monday

Wednesday-Friday

Checking out Sacramento and San Francisco

Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno

The Udder Truth
Dutch Students Experience MSU
Written by Hannah Tucker
What happens in the U.S. stays in the U.S. This was
the mantra for the Dutch students whom visited the
MSU Dairy Club. These students had been the ones
that had greeted MSU students during the summer of
2010 in the Netherlands. They had taken the Spartans
around their country and shown them how agriculture
is like over there. We had to return the favor and show
them how agriculture is done in our sector of the U.S.
The students were taken on many different tours in
their short stay on campus. Of course they were shown
around MSU, the university farms, MSU Dairy Store,
and also other farms that are close to campus that are
in the industry. Students from both countries were
amazed at the differences and similarities that one
ocean can bring into something like agriculture. The
caution of which farms in the Netherlands have to
tread to keep everyone happy was a huge undertaking
in the eyes of MSU students. The Dutch were impressed with the size of our facilities and amount of
product we are able to produce. Students were also
able to mingle with each other and form contacts.
There was a friendly game of quiz bowl between
schools that turned into a battle of who knew the most
pop culture. There were many laughs and good times
shared all around that will stick out in everyone’s
minds as a good
memory.
Pictured left: Dutch
students toured the
MSU campus and
gather for a group
photo in front of the
our
legendary
“Sparty” statue. Below: The MSU and
Dutch students hung
out frequently during
their stay.

End of the Year Adventure
Written by Lauren Bush
This year we decided to plan a road trip to finish out
the year strong. We left Saturday morning and got
back to campus Sunday night. Six members that were
in attendance on this trip included: Krista Beeker,
Kelsey Bruen, Lauren Bush, Sarah Fraley, Brian Rett,
and Ryan Silvernail. The trip was a lot of fun and it
had a little something for everyone.
The trip took us through Indiana to Fair Oaks Dairy
Farm and Purdue University. Then across the Illinois
line, we visited Butlerview Farm and finally ventured
up to Navy Pier in Chicago. At Fair Oaks, we went on
a bus tour of the farm and walked through the Adventure Center, where they teach the public about dairy
farming. At Purdue we toured the dairy farm, had dinner with Purdue’s dairy club, and finished out the evening with a walking tour of campus. Sunday we explored Butlerview Farm, which is a top notch show
cow farm with equally impressive facilities. Soon after, we were
on the road
again - Chicago bound!
At Navy Pier,
we walked
around, and
enjoyed the 80
degree
weather, had
lunch at Harry
Caray’s Tavern, and
stopped check
out the shops
on the pier for
souvenirs.

Michigan State University Dairy Club
2011 Relay for Life!
By Jessica Makowski
2011 was a great relay year for the MSU Dairy Club!
The club teamed up with The Mak Attacks to double
their contributions from the last year and the club graciously donated $500 of its own money to the cause!!!
The MSU Relay for Life was on April 15-16th and was
held at Ralph Young Track and Field. At the event,
our team camped out overnight and took turns walking
around the track to raise money and awareness to help
The “I-Milked-a-Cow” booth is very popular, filled the American Cancer Society create a world with less
with coming through at all times. All people, young cancer
and
more
birthdays.
and old, enjoy being up close to the cows and having
the opportunity to milk a real cow! Our members did Saving
an excellent job showing people how to milk the cows lives from
and answer any questions that people had. Small Ani- cancer
mals Day helps provide children and their families an starts one
opportunity to better understand the dairy industry and team, one
agriculture.
participant,
and
one
dollar at a
time. The
theme this
year was
having more birthdays and lighting more birthday candles this year! Our team is doing our part to make sure
that cancer never steals another year of anyone’s life.
2011 Small Animals Day
Written by Kelsey Byars
This year, CANR Student Senate hosted Small Animals Day on Saturday, April 16, 2011, from 9-1pm.
Dairy Club organized and ran the I-Milked-a-Cow
Booth, where we had 6 cows from the MSU Dairy, at
the Livestock Pavilion. Members came in early to
help wash, bed, feed, and to set up the Dairy Club
booth before Small Animals Day actually started.

The Relay for Life of Michigan State is the fourth
highest-fundraising collegiate Relay For Life in the
country! When we combine our fundraising totals
with our sister event, the MSU Greek Relay For Life,
our Relays raise over $300,000 annually for the
Pictured above: Jenna Taylor helps a kid milk a cow, American Cancer Society! The impact we can make
together is much greater than what any of us could do
while Kelsey Byars (below) gives the cows some TLC.
alone!
Members of the MSU Dairy Club and the Mak Attacks

The Udder Truth
Dairy Club Scholarships Awarded
Written by Lynnae Slavik
Members of the MSU Dairy Club decided it would be
beneficial to award scholarships to first year dairy
club members – one four-year student and one twoyear student. The scholarships are awarded to first
year members who are actively involved in the club.
Applicants were evaluated based on their academic
performance, financial need, future plans/aspirations,
involvement in the club and the dairy industry.
This year’s recipient of the four-year scholarship was
Carrie Szybisty, an Animal Science junior from Redford, Michigan. Carrie says, “When I began my time
at Michigan State, I was the typical student from the
city and I rarely pondered where food originated from.
I’ve always had a passion for animals and animal
health, so I explored the major of Animal Science.
During my investigation I was shocked at how much
there was to learn, and as passion grew, so did my involvement in clubs and activities. With this newfound
interest, my life-long dream of becoming a small animal veterinarian started to change. I am currently exploring the different career choices available in the
agricultural field, but my interest still remains in the
veterinary profession. Therefore, I plan to go to veterinary school after completing a bachelor’s degree in
Animal Science and become a production animal veterinarian specializing in dairy cattle and artificial insemination.”
Ryan Silvernail was the recipient of the two-year
scholarship. Ryan is a Dairy Management freshman
from Fremont, Michigan. Ryan’s love for the dairy
industry developed as he became involved in the Fremont FFA chapter and working on Carson Acres
Dairy Farm. Upon completion of the dairy management program, Ryan would like to work on a dairy
farm.
Annual Dairy Club Recognition Banquet
Written by Lynnae Slavik
Once again this year, the MSU Dairy Club held its annual awards banquet in conjunction with the Great
Lakes Regional Dairy Conference (GLRDC) awards
banquet on February 4, 2011. The conference took
place at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Honorees for the dairy club included:
•
•
•
•

In addition to various producers and Dairy Club members being honored, GLRDC also offers many educational as well as networking opportunities for producers, industry professionals, and club members. The
conference is a two-day event held every year with a
variety of different topics presented.
The Michigan Dairy Ambassador program also offers
a way for high school and college age students to get
involved. The ambassador program is a scholarship
and leadership program that allows students to harness
their passion for the dairy industry by participating in
various activities, events and projects all over the
state. Animal science sophomore, and MSU Dairy
Club member, Lauren Bush was chosen as this year’s
2011 Senior Michigan Dairy Ambassador.

Dr. Fogwell’s hot topic and Calf Sale week, to interesting discussions in the club room, my experience at
Michigan State would not of been the same without
Dairy Club memories and the life-long friendships.
Plans upon Graduation: Work for Agri-Science
Technologies

Degrees: Animal Science and Ag.
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s
Years in Dairy Club:
4
Activities: Dairy Club member 2007
-2011, Treasurer (2009/2010) and
Education and Outreach Coordinator
(2010/2011), Block and Bridle member 2007-2011,
Degree: Animal Science
Collegiate FFA member 2008-2011, Secretary
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 3
(2009/2010), 2010 Dairy Cattle Judging Team
Activities: Publications Chair Junior
Competed in Dairy Challenge Contest 2007, 2008, and
Year
2010, Worked for Animal Behavior and Welfare
Helped with cheese sale, guarding
Group 2009-2011, and awarded Outstanding 1st year
rock, went to BBQ’s, hayrides and
Dairy
Club
member
in
2007/2008
many other DC activities. Also, was a member of
Favorite DC Memory: Royal Trip.
Plans upon Graduation:
MMPA Field Rep. NAMA for one year as well as Sigma Alpha for one
year.
Favorite DC Memory: Working long hours at calf
sale and having a great time with other members while
Degree: Animal Science
doing it.
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 2
Plans upon Graduation: Working as Dairy Farm
Activities: Dairy Club Secretary
Manager at VDS Farms in Scotts, Michigan. We milk
(2010-11), Cheese Sale, Calf Sale,
1300 cows. Also, I will be getting married in October
Relay for Life, National Dairy Chal- 2011.
lenge Team and ASURSA.
Plans upon Graduation: Attending graduate school
at Purdue University for Ruminant Nutrition.
Degree: Animal Science
Number of Years in Dairy Club: 4
Activities: My leadership roles in
the Dairy Club included: Spartan
Degree: Animal Science
Spectacular Sale Labor Chair, PubliNumber of Year in Dairy Club:
cations Co-chair and Executive Com3.5
mittee, Historian Committee Chair,
Dairy Club Activities: Calf Sale
Committee, VPI, VPII, Cheese Sale Vice President I and Vice President II.I was also very
Chair, Relay for Life, 2009 ADSA involved in the club with Small Animals Day, Autumn
Joint Annual Meeting in Montreal, 2010 ADSA Joint Fest, “Sparticipation”, organized the 2009 Chili CookAnnual Meeting in Denver, Undergraduate Research off, painted the rock all 4 years, the Annual Hayride,
Competition ADSA Quiz Bowl, Euchre Tournaments, participated in Calf Sale, invented “Dairy Awareness
Scavenger Hunts, Student Senate Representative, Day,” volunteered at Elementary School Tours, went
Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, and Dairy on Farm Tours and organized the 2010 Annual Cheese
Sale.
Club Spring Break Trip 2008.
Favorite DC Memory: From the hayrides, trips out Favorite DC Memory: My favorite memory defiof state and out of country, change-over ice cream nitely has to be the 2008 Spartan Spectacular Calf
combinations at meetings, late night cheese packing's, Sale, which was my first year in Dairy Club. It was

Casey Klein

Sarah Fraley

Jessica Makowski

Karmen Jackson

Michigan State University Dairy Club
really my first experience with handling dairy cattle Plans upon Graduation: I am hoping to obtain a job
and did I get a run for my money! I had never led a in the agriculture industry with an emphasis in dairy.
cow anywhere before, especially one that wasn’t
broke! Everyone felt bad for the city girl and tried to
help me but I was too stubborn. I wanted to do it myDegree: Agribusiness Management
self. At the end of the day, I had tons of blisters on my
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 4
hands but I didn’t care. I had already decided to love
Activities: Collegiate Dairy Judging
dairy cattle so I needed to do what I had to do to learn
Team, MSU Block & Bridle Club,
more about them. Later that day, I slept happily in
MSU Dairy Club: 2009-10 Histostraw, between two warm baby calves.
rian, Spartan Spectacular, Cheese
Plans upon Graduation: My plans are to pursue a
Sale, and Dairy Awareness Day.
career in the Agriculture field.
Plans upon Graduation: Working for JBS, a meat
packing and processing plant.

Sara Mowry

Allan Mergener

Degree: Animal Science/Production
Medicine Scholars
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 2
years
Activities:
Cheese sale packing,
over-the-counter sales and pick-ups.
Helping milk and wash cattle during
calf sale.
Favorite DC Memory: Calf and cheese sales during
the two years I have been a member have always been
a lot of fun.
Plans upon Graduation: Attending Michigan State
University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in the
fall.

Beth Motz
Degree: Animal Science and Agribusiness Management
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 3
Activities: I was active in dairy club
and helped with most of the events
from cheese sale to calf sale. I went
on the trip to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair,
which was an awesome experience to understand the
industry better and get to know other students within
the club.
Favorite DC Memory: Sitting in the dairy club room
in Anthony is where many friends were made, many
topics were discussed, and lots of Panda Express was
eaten. It was nice to have a place to relax in between
classes, with good friends who understood what you
were talking about when you were trying to figure out
what to feed your cow, or what bull to use, or just how
to get through classes.

Lynnae Slavik
Degree: Animal Science, ABM Specialization
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 2
Activities: Collegiate Dairy Judging
Team, MSU Block & Bridle Club,
2008 Senior Michigan Dairy Ambassador, MSU Dairy Club: 2010-11
Technology Chair, Spartan Spectacular catalog and
advertising chair.
Favorite DC Memory: Some of my favorite memories, to name a few, would include: guarding and
painting the rock, as well as working and hanging out
at the PAV for calf sale. They were some very fun
and memorable times!
Plans upon Graduation: Working for NorthStar Cooperative as an Agricultural Sales Specialist.

Hannah Tucker
Degree: Animal Science
Number of Year in Dairy Club: 2
Activities: Club Historian
Favorite DC Memory: I loved being able to have dairy store ice cream
at every meeting and all the different
types of speakers we were able to
have. Plus being able to be dragged by a cow or two
was always a good time.
Plans upon Graduation: Attending graduate school
for mammary physiology.